


Light In Darkness

by Player1000



Category: Ori and the Blind Forest
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery, Spirit Guardians
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27741496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Player1000/pseuds/Player1000
Summary: It's a saying that a shadow must never show itself to the light... But on that fateful night, when the Great Storm showered the forest of Nibel in endless rain... That was when the Light appeared for the shadow...
Kudos: 11





	1. Light In Darkness

_Chapter 1 - Light in Darkness_

**Authors Notes: I completely rewrote this chapter just so it matched the rest of the pacing of the other chapters hahahaha.**

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_  
My... My name... Is Kuro... Who... No... I mustn't forget... Them... My children... My past... Ori..._

_The peacefulness of that forest... Nibel. I remember how the forest lit up that day. When the Spirit Tree bloomed in the distance as a voice spoke to me, telling me that the Forest was now under the protection of the Light, and it can no longer help me anymore... Who was that... The voice seemingly disappeared as I stared into the glistening light as it reached for the skies, holding it close as if it was dragging it down to the forest... It was beautiful... I know that I was an Owl, we serve under the veil of night, fearing the light..._

_But there was a thought crossed through my mind at the time... What about us? The creatures of the darkness? Will we be protected under the veil of light as with any other creature? I was so curious about the light, I went as far as leaving my nest to experience it multiple times. Many times I've been blessed by the beauty of it, but I have also been burned, singed, and even blinded by the same light I loved... I was naive as I recalled it clearly..._

_But I remember... Every night, when the skies were clear of any darkened clouds. I would stand at the edge of my nest and bask in the moonlight, the only other source of light that I can feel without feeling the painful effects of the light... I wondered about the light ever since I was a little Owlet. Was it truly a monster that I would fear? Or was it just misunderstood, like the darkness? I didn't know the answer at the time... I would have never guessed it after all..._

_Another memory washed over me as I remember the blistering winds and the freezing winds as it pelted raindrops at us. I was protecting something... My nest? My... My children... But I know I saw it, a peculiar bright light as I noticed it from the corner of my eye. It flew right past me and into the cave as it danced in the air, eventually landing towards my nest... I remember the brightness that came after, and I was shocked at what I saw... The light which was a shimmering leaf, transformed into a small spirit..._

_I... I can't remember what I felt that day when I saw him... I took him under my wings, pressing him closer to my nest as if he was my own. I felt him come closer to me as if he thought I was his mother... Maybe I was? But somewhere in my mind, I knew that I shouldn't have done that... But I remember... I was a mother... I couldn't just let him die in the cold, especially during a time like this..._

_I thought I was strong enough to part ways with him after the storm had settled... But I recalled it clearly. I never even brought up that thought until he was growing side by side with my children... My Owlets... I remembered I named the spirit, Ori. And I taught him the language that the spirits spoke in as I prepared myself for the day that he would leave our nest and be with his own kind..._

_Seasons changed and moons passed as the days went by without a sense of change... I remembered the first time they left the nest. Aru called it an adventure as they explored the forest to their heart's content, but this happened when I was gone. I would always return home to find that they went missing, only for Ruru to tell me where they went as she always stayed behind, trying not to get herself involved with her brother's endeavors. I remembered that day clearly... How could I forget?_

_When I hid in the trees as I stalked the little Owlets as Ori came into view with another Spirit... I remember the pain I felt as my heart was pricked by sharp needles. I remember the thoughts I had when I saw him speak to another Spirit. Should I intervene? What if it takes him away... But they went their separate ways as the Owlets went close to Ori, as they gave him a big hug. I was curious at the time, I wanted to know what exactly happened that day._

_When we all went home, I asked Ku, the youngest of the Owlets to tell me what Ori said that day... Again, the feeling of pins piercing her heart as Ku explained that Ori didn't want to leave them, they were bewildered by his words but the other Spirit understood Ori. I remembered how I felt... I felt guilty... Was it right that I kept him away from the light? To keep him hidden in the darkness when he clearly does not belong._

_..._

_No... Maybe he does... Or maybe I'm still clinging onto that false sense of hope that Ori would stay in the darkness... But I've seen how he navigates the darkness, it was as if he knew exactly what horrors lie beneath it, but combined with the sense of curiosity that the light held... I remember the name I used to give him... My guardian. My guardian of Light and Dark... I felt myself laugh softly at the memories, how I used to tell myself that the Shadows should never appear before the light... Yet the light appeared for me... A ray of hope as the light embraced me... and I loved it..._

_I'm... I'm Starting to forget again... No matter... They were safe... Safe in Nibel... They would never come to this land... They were... Safe...  
_

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**Authors Notes:**

**So I just gotta add this since every chapter is gonna have at least one of these...**

**Hmm... Well, this story is gonna be a long one with a few turns and twists, and considering this is my first story, it should continue to get better.**

**Thank you in advance for anyone reading, having, or leaving reviews hahaha.**


	2. A Careless Adventure

_Chapter 1.1 New Friends, Missing Lights_

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_The night stood still as the light outside swept through the forest, not leaving a speck of darkness in its wake. However, it could not cover every piece of land as the crevice high above the mountains was unaffected. Deep inside lay a mother Owl named Kuro as she held her wing over her sleeping children, safe from the light outside. The Spirit Tree has been acting strange lately, sending out pulses of light as if it was trying to reach something... Or someone..._

_The light still found its way inside their home, though it was too faint to be able to hurt them. Kuro opened her eyes as she felt a slight disturbance in their home. The shadows were shifting as looming red eyes slowly opened to meet with her gaze, she knew exactly why it was here but she did not let it distract her from keeping her children safe._

_The crimson red eyes looked to her softly, as no amount of malice was laced in its gaze. "That's cute Kuro... But I never expected this behavior from you." The voice bellowed out. It spoke with rising curiosity for this was the first time it has ever seen Kuro in a vulnerable state. Kuro closed her eyes as she refused to stare into its gaze any longer._

_"Save your insults for another day... I have no reason to speak with you any further..." Kuro said as she redirected her attention to her children, moving tightly to her as she gazed at Ori. She knew that he was not supposed to be here. In the darkness. Yet she could never find a way to part ways with him. How could a mother abandon her child after all._

_The dark shadow moved closer to her nest as it spoke in an amused voice as it gazed directly at her. "You say that like I'm your enemy Kuro..." It spoke as its voice changed to sympathize with her. "Don't worry. I will leave you soon... But I promised your mother that I would protect you and those close to you... I'm just here to see who I'm sworn to protect."_

_Kuro felt its gaze over her, as she continued to keep her sights away from it. Her gaze turned over to one of her owlets. Ruru, a White Owl with lavender colored wings. She was always the smartest of her children and often voices her hatred towards the light. Kuro was unclear if Ruru hated Ori because he was a being of light. She only gave an unclear answer as she said that she loved Ori as a family._

_Next to her was Aru. A darker shade of violet as his feathers resembled the night. Kuro could still remember how his eyes glistened with a unique fire as he found new things to enjoy. He was always the most reckless of the three, but he looks up to Ori, saying that one day he will be just like his brother Ori. Strong, and Brave. Unlike Ruru, he loves going into the light because the darkness has nothing for him._

_Then the last owlet, Ku. She looked almost like her brother Aru, but there was something odd about her that they never expected until she started growing up. Unlike her siblings, she had a deformed wing with broken feathers. She wasn't able to fly like the rest of them. However, Ori was always there to keep her company. She loved Ori and would always spend her time with him, whether they went exploring or just sitting at the edge of the nest together._

_Kuro looked over to Ori with soft eyes. He had two short, but soft tufts on top of his head, and large ears that would often droop whenever he was sad. He also had hooves for feet and a long tail. Spirits were curious beings of light, often venturing far into the forest and protecting creatures from falling into darkness. But there are also a few spirits that value life, dark creatures or not. They are an enigma to her. She couldn't really tell if they were guardians of the forest or just the guardians of the light. She gave a soft smile as she recalled calling Ori the guardian of both Light and Dark._

_"Its... Quite a life you've lived here, Kuro..." The voice spoke rather softly this time, after seeing the way Kuro looked at her children, even when one of them was not like the other. "Are you sure you don't want to return?"_

_Kuro turned her gaze over to the dark shadow. She didn't want to risk endangering her family by returning to the land where even shadows lay restless. Nibel was a haven, far from any conflicts that appear throughout the other lands. "Umbra... If you are here to pester me to return... Then I advise you to leave before I do something that could wake them." She said with sadness in her eyes. Umbra was always there watching over her ever since she was little, she didn't feel hatred over it, nor did she feel any love towards it... It was simply... A Watcher..._

_"You misunderstand my intentions, my dear..." The shadow closed its eyes as it started to dissipate into the darkness. "Nevertheless... I'll be here... Waiting..." Kuro watched as it completely disappeared, not even her keen eyes could see it anymore. Whether it was still watching over her or not, she still felt safe knowing there was someone other than her protecting her family..._

_"This forest is a beautiful place..." Kuro said with a softer smile as her gaze turned towards the moon. The night's soft light will always be the melody that calms her heart. The Spirit Tree beyond has stopped pulsing its light throughout the forest. It was the very symbol of protection, a guardian of the forest... "I won't let him take all of this away..."_

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The forest was at peace that day. The cloudless skies opened up to let the rays of the light shower the forest with its warm embrace. Of course, not every creature appreciates this light, however, there were a few exceptions, as an excited Owl ran to the edge of his nest. Seemingly just woke up because his eyes were still unfocused, but eventually adjusted himself as he looked out into the forest below, the light glimmered across the treetops.

Aru took a deep breath, taking in the fresh forest air as he started planning what they were going to do today. However, there weren't many options for exploring that day since Ruru was out investigating the dark caves with Alui, and Ku was taking a sleep day from all the fun she had yesterday. He remembered it all too clearly... Well, it wasn't fun for her exactly since she was the one who had to run from the slimes that Aru woke up. He felt guilty for making Ku a bit traumatized by slimes and as a result, their mother banned him from even going outside anymore...

But today was different! He only had one chance to get this right, but he was going to need help. That's when he turned around and squinted his eyes, trying to adjust back into the darkness of their nest. He needed to find Ori, which shouldn't be too hard because his brother was a shiny spirit. He eventually saw him as he went back and forth from their mother's spot and onto their nest. Carrying bundles of sticks, vines, and leaves their mother gathered just for Ori and Ku to experiment with.

At first, Aru was actually interested in what they were doing, but then it had to involve something with the Gumon and it quickly made him tired as if he was reading a bedtime story. He walked over to Ori who sat down and started fiddling with the sticks he brought.

"What are you doing?" Aru asked Ori, who then looked over his shoulder as he kept the sticks tight together. Aru didn't understand how the Gumon built the technology or the structures of their home when they last visited them, nor did he have the patience to actually find out. He wanted adventure, something to discover. The only way he was going to get any of that was by exploring during the day!

"Honestly, I don't know," Ori said as he scratched his head nervously with a smile. "Ku and Me were supposed to finish this today, but after what happened yesterday I'm gonna have to wait until the next day or until Ku feels all better later today." Ori added as he remembered that Ku was the one who insisted that they build this just for him. It was supposed to be a glider or whatever the Gumon called it. Something to keep him afloat for a longer time than just a large feather from his mother.

"Right..." Aru said looking anxiously to the ceiling, to the ground, and anywhere as he felt Ori's gaze on him with a judging look. "Anyways, I wanna tell you something I found out yesterday! Well, technically I found this out from Alui, who then got pecked by our mom but that's not the point right now." Aru said as he remembered that Alui almost died when Kuro thought he was just a regular spider who was going to attack Aru.

"Alui told me about these two creatures walking around during the daytime near the Glades, they were walking on their hind legs like you. A long tail, and a thin body. Oh! They're also really fuzzy with green eyes." Aru said trying his hardest to remember exactly what Alui told him. Ori hasn't heard of a creature like that in the forest, and Alui knows everyone in the forest. It piqued his interest. But sadly, he knows he had to decline it.

"Sorry Aru. Mom told me to not let you out of the house. You specifically." Ori said trying to sound like he was in charge, but ended up sounding sad that he couldn't go exploring with him. He loved adventure just as much as Aru. Kuro described him as a being of curiosity, as with most Spirits. They tend to find things that are either a danger, a friend, or a mystery in the forest.

"But... Oh fine!" Aru grumpily as he left him to do whatever he was supposed to do. Ori felt bad about saying No to Aru, but the adventures they were having were getting dangerous. Even though he was always there to protect them, there were also times that he couldn't be there to help them... He'll learn how to be responsible, I just know it. Ori thought to himself, believing in Aru's ability to learn by himself.

Meanwhile, Aru was not trying to learn how to be responsible as he looked out into the open forest. Ruru was busy in the dark caves. Ku was fast asleep. And Ori was busy figuring out how to build that thingy that Ku always mentioned. "It'll just be for a little while, a quick search around the forest." He said as he took one look back at Ori who had his back turned to him. Worst case scenario is that I get lost in the Glades, but I know my way back on foot too. It's not like there's anything dangerous in Nibel. He thought as he flew away leaving the nest and onto his next destination. The Glades.

On his way to the Glades, his boring flight eventually led him to daydream about what would happen right after he found the mysterious creatures. "When I find them, Ori is gonna be like. Awww, I wish I came along with you. And Ruru will finally admit that she was wrong about me. That I am a brave Owl!" He said as he tried to mimic each of their voices but ended up sounding childish. He was coming too close to the treetops as he felt the leaves drift close to his chest, and before he realized it. His wings got tangled up in the tree as he landed face down. Spitting out a few leaves that went into his mouth.

"Oww... At least it didn't hurt much... Huh?" He said before noticing two figures were walking just under the tree he was stuck in. They were holding a basket with an assortment of fruit and vegetables. Aru felt his eyes widen because he didn't think he would find them this quickly, he almost felt giddy. But then he remembered that he was still stuck. "Okay... First things first... How do I-"

With a snap of the branches, he started falling again as he went upside down, unable to flap his wings correctly, and ended up landing on many of the branches that surrounded the tree. Luckily for him at the end of the fall was a large green plant that cushioned his fall, though it also spewed out green smoke which made him feel woozy. Not only was he concussed, but he was also getting very sleepy as his eyes started to feel lazy.

The last thing he saw were two shadows looking over him as his eyelids dropped quickly and before he knew it. He was fast asleep...

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"Ughhh..." Ori groaned. His head felt like he was spinning. He groggily opened his eyes then quickly shut them again the moment he saw a bright light above him. His head ached badly whenever he tried to remember anything, and it made him think he was still spinning in the air, but when he tried to remember, his head ached badly. He thought it was just better if he was going to sleep... But then he heard voices around him...

_"Just let him sleep, Lin..."_

Aru didn't even want to bother with questioning what those voices wanted or even who they were... He just wanted to go back to sleep... But he felt a paw go over his face as he remembered a familiar white paw doing the same thing, causing him to purr...

_"I know... It's just that... He looks so much like her..."_

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"Ori? Have you seen Aru anywhere?" Ruru asked Ori after she landed by the edge of the nest, her beautiful white feathers glistened behind the slowly setting sunset. Her face however was concerned over the fact that her brother Aru has been missing for quite a while now... "I've looked everywhere and I can't find him." Ori thought deeply about what Aru said to him earlier... But he still couldn't believe it. But at the same time he could because it's Aru! Ori felt like it was his fault that he left Aru on his own, he should have known that he would run off to chase something new...

"I... I know where he went... I think..." Ori said as he gazed towards the skies. The sky itself was golden as the sun was about to set on the horizon. Kuro was going to come back home soon... "Aru... Why do you always do this to me..." All Ori wanted to do today was build something with Ku, but instead, he has to go fetch Aru back from his adventure in the Glades. Why is he like this...

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**Authors Notes:**

**This is actually my first story so stuff may not be explained very well... Technically this is my first organized story, everything else is just in summary.**

**This is actually part 1 of 2. Part 2 is basically in Chapter 1.2. I am not good at explaining hahaha.**

**Let me know what you think, thanks in advance to everyone reading and leaving reviews :**

**Also if your someone who is unfamiliar with Ori and the Blind Forest, I suggest you play it or just watch a movie of it since most of what's going to happen here is based on that.**

**Uhh... My favorite word is As apparently as I was writing this... See!**

**Update:**

**I completely rewrote this chapter like Chapter 1. next up should be 1.2. I just felt like it's not showing enough information when I read it myself hahaha. Proofreading by yourself is a pain hahahaha.**


	3. A Dangerous Night

Chapter 1.2 New Friends, Missing Lights

Lin gazed upon the looming night sky seeming to think that the world is a beautiful place... The sun was nearly about to disappear on the horizon... Ever since she arrived here in this forest with her brother Izi, things have started to look much better for them...

They met all kinds of different creatures here and what surprised them the most was an ancient legend... A myth that she would have never thought she would be able to see...

It was a Spirit...

A Spirit Guardian...

A living, breathing Spirit Guardian... Gears clicked in her head as a smile formed on their faces that day. The forest was under the protection of a Spirit tree, they never imagined they'd ever see an actual protector of the forest...

Lin and Izi were a species called Moki. Small scavengers with big floppy ears, lime green eyes, and a long tail. They were playful little creatures who live in a land far from this forest...

If only she had been more careful... She didn't want to involve her brother with this problem... If it wasn't for her, they would still be playing back home and getting scolded by their parents for being so reckless...

Lin's thoughts were taken away as the sun finally disappeared into the distance. She turned around to see the moon slowly rising behind the cold mountains... To think that she would experience this feeling of peace again... After everything that's happened... It was surreal...

"Lin!" Her brother called out to her, from their home inside the tree below.

"Coming!" Lin said as she carefully and happily stepped on one branch to another, as she finally dropped down from her ledge above the treetops.

She and her brother Izi lived inside a hollow tree for a few seasons now, they created a platform outside the tree that circles all the way around. They called this a Tree House, and it was something their friend and them used to make back then...

She saw Izi who was talking to the little Owl they rescued from the Glades earlier this day, he was doing a lot better now. Though his head and wings were bandaged up to make sure he'll make a full recovery.

"Oh. Lin!" Izi said as he noticed her come down from her spot up, on the treetops. Both he and the little Owl was sitting around a lantern with a firefly trapped inside. "So... Big problem... He doesn't remember anything, and I asked him a couple of questions and it looks like the only thing he remembers is his name..."

Lin was a bit skeptical of that at first, but then she did remember that the Owl fell from the tree, likely hitting many of the branches on his way down, then hit his head on a plant. Luckily for him, that plant was a healing plant that heals any injury, though it's not that effective. As she came closer to the Owl, he tilted his head at her curiously. Who were they? And why were they so fluffy?

"Hello. I'm guessing my brother already told you who we were... But do you not remember anything?" Lin asked but like Izi, all she got was a shook of his head as he didn't know anything.

"I really don't know... I just remember everything going dark... And my name... My name is Aru..."

Lin put her hand over her chin and thought for a moment... They could always try and hit him on the head again, maybe it'll get his memories back. Or it just gets worse, but what else could they try? The worst thing that could happen is that he gets permanent brain damage... Okay, that does sound bad...

"Should we try asking Nightingale? He seems to know everything about this forest, maybe he'll know of some way that could help him get his memories back." Izi commented, looking at Lin's eyes and knowing exactly what she was going to do. She always goes for the fastest way to solve the problem, she was always reckless...

Well... If they did find a plant that can alter someone's memories, then maybe they could extract it and create a medicine that could help reduce or completely remove the effects of amnesia... They were both good at making different types of medicine, a skill they learned back then... If only they could find a way to fix their friend...

Lin and Izi were the natural doctors of this forest, news spread quickly on how they were able to heal anyone as long as they came to them. Mostly Spirits came to their aid as they were the ones who were usually exposed to dangers. They were happy to do so as it became a talent of theirs, but that also attracted the attention of a certain bluebird... Mysterious with a long beak, and feathers as blue as the cerulean oceans... But they did owe everything to him, his name was Nightingale. The Watchful Eyes of the forest. He has a reputation among the Spirits as he would tell them of anything that would come across as dangerous to the forest...

"Well... We could try it in the morning... For now, I think it's best if we just went to sleep for the night... Especially you Aru." Lin said as she booped him playfully on his beak... It was a strange feeling, but he felt like he used to do this with someone before... He felt a warm blooming feeling welling up inside him.

But a chill went through their bodies as a howl erupted deep in the forest... Aru felt the fear grip his heart when he heard that sound... Any leftover feelings he had disappeared in an instant as his feathers stood on edge...

Lin and Izi were no different... Yet they looked out into the forest with an even greater fear in mind... Memories flashed through their heads. The feeling of drowning as water filled their lungs with each breath... The memories of those crimson red eyes staring them down as the currents took them deeper into the darkness...

It can't be... Did they follow us? Lin's gaze met with Izi's who thought the same thing... Although Nibel had the protection of the Light, they weren't sure if it was enough to stop... Them... They've only heard of Spirits in legends, but they have never actually seen them in action since the forest of Nibel was often a peaceful place... This would be the first time they would encounter something like this...

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"Do you think what they said was true? That something is lurking in the Glades?" Flora asked the other two Spirits, Akari and Qui as they all wandered along the riverside, keeping their eyes open for anything unusual happenings... They've heard rumors speculating around the Glades during the night. Glowing red eyes, an ominous howling, and even the feeling of being watched from the shadows... After talking to a couple of Spirits and Creatures about this situation. Akari, Flora, and Qui set out to find this mysterious monster.

That led them to this secluded part of the Glades, it was a peaceful area as the moonlight reflected itself off the flowing river, lighting the darkness with a soft glow.

Akari has always admired the moon for being a guide in the darkness... But he has a growing hatred of the darkness, nobody knows exactly why as he would never reveal his past to anyone. Not even Flora or Qui.

Qui sped up as she started running forward seemingly getting bored by the second. She was the smallest of the three, measuring only as high as Akari's chest, and Akari was very similar to any other spirit in terms of height and body size. The same goes for Flora, but she had a long tail and smaller ears.

Flora thought it was a good idea to make themselves look different from any other Spirit in Nibel. Qui forced Akari to paint a mark on his forehead that looked similar to a crescent moon. While Qui only made a spiraling motion of paint that goes along her back and around her tail, and Flora just has a pink flower above her ear.

"It might... But we won't know until we see it with our own eyes, and it doesn't look like anyone even knows if it exists..." Akari said as he switched his gaze from Flora to the moon... Feeling the chilly night air swirling around the forest, he almost felt like he was back home...

"Uhh... Guys!" Qui called out as she looked at a dead end. There was another path but it was high up and out of reach... But that's not what bothered Qui...

As Flora and Akari caught up with her, even they were bewildered... Large claw marks etched deep into the dirt and stone as it trailed along the walls and over the river... The river itself seemed to continue forward underground...

"I don't like this..." Qui said as she started to step back... There were so many scratch marks, it didn't look like there was just one monster... She tried to be her usual brave self, but something about this just unsettled her...

Akari nodded as they all started to backtrack where they went... But a piercing howl echoed throughout the forest. Qui, Akari, and Flora had to put their hands over their ears tightly as the sound made them feel like needles were pricking at their ears...

Looking back up they saw a large figure blocking the way back. It had large fangs and claws, it was surrounded in a black mist and they could barely even see the crimson red eyes glaring back at them...

Akari looked over his shoulder and saw another looming figure stalking up on the cliff, while another was skittering around the sides, inside the forest... They were surrounded... If only the river didn't block their path, maybe they would have another chance to escape...

"Well..." Flora said as she held her hand back over her shoulder as a bow materialized, ready to shoot as she held the arrow and string. Positioning herself as she locked gazes with the one on the cliff. "Looks like we're not getting out of this... Peacefully..."

Qui positioned herself close to Flora as she stared eagerly at the tracing eyes deep in the darkness of the forest. Light condensed itself around her arm which formed a majestic spear. "We've survived worse, haven't we?"

Akari swiped his hand over himself as a blade instantly materialized leaving tiny particles of light in its wake. He wasn't sure if they were going to survive this... After all, this was the circle of life... Between predator and prey...

"These are just Howlers," Akari said as the large creatures took a step towards them, they were cautious about the Spirits, but they weren't afraid either... His gaze went over to the Howler that decided to block their way back. "Besides... They're not getting out this alive either..."

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"Wh-What was that..." Ku flapped her wings trying to keep up with Ori's pace. They were taking their regular route to the Glades when an ominous howl echoed throughout the forest, sending shivers down the little Owl's body... If she only knew going out late at night would be this terrifying, she would have volunteered to stay back at the nest...

But Ori needed someone who can see in the dark... He was her light, her big brother... She wanted to help as much as she could, though the darkness tends to make her feel on edge...

"I don't know... Just... Stay close to me..." Ori looked to the night sky, it was barely visible under all the leaves but it still felt like it was more peaceful up there, than it is down on the forest floor... He didn't remember the roots were this twisted, or the rocks had these faces... Maybe it was just his imagination... The darkness was playing tricks on their minds...

In the distance, Ori saw light up on the treetops. A warm light that he often saw with the Spirits, though it was in the color of fireflies... There was a platform built around that tree, it had many supporting beams around it keeping it from falling... Whoever built that must be either crazy or a Gumon, either way, it looked very sturdy.

"Come on Ku, I think someone lives up there... Let's see if they've seen Aru... Not like we have any other choice..." Ori said as a lingering thought echoed in his mind... That ominous howling, Ku's safety... and his missing brother...

"I hope that Aru is safe..."

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"Do you think it'll find us?" Lin said as she looked over the edge, gazing over the forest as the moonlight covered the trees in a soft glow... She couldn't get rid of that howling voice inside her head... It's still out there, and they weren't even sure if it was still hunting them... But knowing Him... They were...

Izi sat down just underneath the fence and held the bars as he looked down at the forest without any fear of heights. This height would not be fatal, so it didn't scare him, but what was waiting for him down below... That's what terrifies him...

"If they really are alive... We need to tell the Spirits everything about them... It's the only way they'd be able to fight them with a winning chance..." Izi said as he scrolled through his mind everything regarding those creatures... They called them Howlers, a creature born in darkness, corrupted beyond repair as it sought out the light and extinguish its flames... Permanently...

They didn't believe in the Spirits as much... They were the things of legends, but although they were these mystical beings. He was still unsure if they were capable of defeating one of these things... Maybe I'm thinking about the size difference a little too much... He thought to himself.

He kept telling himself that he just needs to have a bit of faith in them... They are the guardians of the forest after all...

Lin looked over to her shoulder to see that Aru finally fell asleep in the bed, the entrance to their home was a large one, big enough to fit an entire full-grown Owl inside... She was glad that they found Aru and took him back home... If those Howlers got to him first, then there would be nothing left to save...

"Wait... Lin! Look!"

Izi pointed to the glistening light moving towards their home as it walked on the forest floor.

It was a Spirit!

Before Izi could say anything else, Lin was already gone as she went inside the tree and slid down the vine to get down as quickly as possible. There were stairs too but, she wanted the quickest way down and this certainly was the fastest. Her fears for the Howlers disappeared for now as she arrived down at the bottom of the tree, crawling out of the small hole of their entrance and meeting the Spirit... And an Owl?

...

...

...

...

"Do you think someone lives up there Ori?" Ku said as she tried distracting herself from the terrors of the night by picking up a small yellow flower she saw thanks to Ori's light.

The tree itself was huge, it was the tallest tree in all the Glades, though not as tall as the Ginso Tree, it was still tall and sturdy enough to make Ori look up in awe. The branches were lit up with what looks to be glowing flowers, they were all scattered along the tree making it seem like it was another Spirit Tree.

When Ori heard Ku's little yelp as she hid behind him, his gaze shifted to the small creature who made her way towards him.

"Hello, Akari- Oh wait... You're not Akari..." She shook her head slightly as she thought of new words to say. "Sorry. My name is Lin, I'm a Moki here in the Glades... Sorry for calling you Akari, it's just that... You look so much like him."

"It's alright... Uhh... Have you seen a little Owl around here? He's around my height. His name is Aru." Ori explained to her. He was getting really worried... If only he agreed to go find the creatures with him, then he wouldn't have to stay out this late...

"Oh, Aru? Yes. He's back in our home resting," She said as she pointed up on the platform built around the tree high above the ground. " Is that her sister?" Lin said asking politely. This was good. She found Aru's sibling... How was she going to explain that he lost his memories...

"Oh... I forgot to mention. My name is Ori and this is Ku, my little sister. Thanks for taking care of our brother." Ori said nervously... It was awkward, to say the least, he hasn't talked to anyone other than his siblings and occasionally the Gumon for many moons now, but Lin wasn't curious about that part...

"You're his brother?" Lin couldn't exactly wrap her head around this thought... I thought that Spirits and the Darkness were enemies? Did a Spirit raise the Owlets... Or did an Owl raise Ori... "Sorry for the odd question... It's just that. I've never seen a Spirit be friends with a creature of darkness before."

She gave a soft smile. She liked that thought... That the Light and the Dark could set aside their differences and get along well... If only it was like that back in her homeland... Maybe things would have turned out differently...

Ku tilted her head at the Moki and gave an affirmative chirp, she liked her. She was cute and nice. She reminded her of what Ruru was like when they were younger. She stepped forward and ushering her to take the yellow flower she had, at first she just thought of dropping it since she wasn't That scared anymore, but giving someone a flower would make anyone happy, it worked for their mother after all.

"Oh... That... We actually get that a lot but-" Ori said before they all started to lose their footing as a powerful tremor rushed across the forest floor, small birds and creatures rushed to get out of the way as a giant dark figure burst out of the trees, Breaking it apart with ease. Lin backed away quickly, fear quickly returning back to her senses as she ran inside the tree with Ku trailing behind her... Howlers! The Howlers were here! I have to warn Izi, we need to get out of here quickly! Lin thought as she ran on all fours, trying to get back to the top as fast as possible.

Ori was about to run after them but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bright light heading towards the Howler, screeching in pain as it shook violently, trying to get its attacker off of its back. A Spirit was flung from its back and slammed into a tree further away from Lin's home...

The Howler was focused on the spirit that it threw away as it began to slowly make its way towards it, very cautious from the looks of it. But even from here, Ori knew that the spirit was in great danger and the fact that it wasn't getting up anymore...

He had to do something, he can't just leave it alone with the Howler steadily stalking its way towards it. He grabbed a pebble as he ran inside the forest throwing it directly onto its snout.

"Hey! Over here!" Ori called out as its attention shifted away from the other spirit. It was clearly angry, but it also looked as if it wanted to kill Ori right then and there. Gulping, he ran as quickly as possible, hoping to escape the dark creature inside the depths of the forest...

It smashed through the trees as if they weren't even there, but boulders that Ori jumped off of slowed it down a bit. It was injured from its legs and struggled to jump, though it didn't seem to have any trouble smashing its head and claws over the trees, breaking it apart...

Soon Ori ran out of space to run as he was cornered with a lake blocking his only path ahead, he had nowhere else to go because even if he jumped in the water he was going to get caught either way...

He turned to look back again to see those crimson red eyes stare right back at him...

Except there was nothing...

The forest was quiet and the only sound that echoed in his ears was his quickly beating heart...

His breath felt shallow after running for so long, crawling through tight passages, climbing large boulders all to evade that creature. But now... The forest lay still, not even a single sound escaped Ori's breath, everything was silent... Until a faint light appeared behind the darkness of the forest... A spirit walked out with a blade in his hand, glaring at Ori as he held the blade at him.

He didn't know who or where this new spirit came from, but a voice called out from behind him shouting with an excited tone.

"Calm down Akari! He just saved Flora's life!"

A smaller and seemingly younger spirit came out from behind him, looking at Ori eagerly as she tilted her head with increasing curiosity.

"Oh wow, you really do look like Akari." She said as she closed the distance between them, Ori was bewildered on what was happening until the smaller spirit began to explain everything...

...

...

...

They strolled through the forest taking their time on the way back, Ori could see the chaos that the Howler did to the forest... But what scared him the most was that they eventually found the Howler's body... It was encased in stone, seemingly in pain as it tried to reach onto its back. But now its fear was permanently embedded like a stone sculpture...

"You know Ori, there are much better ways to be a hero than just getting yourself saved after saving someone else you know." Qui said with a smile as she playfully hopped and balanced on the broken wood poles that scattered the forest, even going as far as a handstand on one of them. Akari was still silent as Ori noticed he kept sending glares down his way every so often...

Ori remembered what Qui said... That Akari was the one who faced the Howler alone, and that she never even got to help... Did he defeat that thing all by himself? He felt a bit of fear creeping into his mind, considering that Akari doesn't seem to trust him at all...

When they arrived back in the forest, they were greeted by Lin and her brother who introduced himself to Ori. He was nearly identical to Lin apart from being a tad bit taller and darker than her.

"My name is Izi, you already met my sister right. Thank you so much for saving us back there... I saw everything from up on the tree," He pointed up to the platform high above the ground. "If you never distracted the Howler, Flora and us would have been goners..."

Qui butted in the conversation as she held one finger up. "Well. Next time try not to get yourself killed, though you were pretty fast since those Howlers were pretty light on their feet." She said happily as she went over to the Moki's home and began her trip up the tree.

Right... But Ori believed that he didn't really do much. Flora was the one who injured the Howler enough to let it stumble across the woods as it chased him. if it wasn't injured... Who knows what would have happened...

Ori still felt uneasy, however... He never saw Akari go up the tree with them, but somehow he found his way up to the top without going through the stairs, or the vine Lin used to get down... Though everything seemed to finally calm down he still had a few lingering thoughts in his head...

Is Aru alright... And what were those things... Never in his life has he ever seen a creature like that...

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**I didn't expect it to be this long, but here we are hahaha.**

**I'm like, I wanna get to the good part already but I can't I gotta go through these first hahaha, but I feel like my writing is definitely getting better. Thanks for everyone reading this hahaha.**

**Now that we got all that out of the way, as the saying goes. "Now that everyone is here... Let's move on to the fun part."**


	4. After Dark

_Chapter 1.3 Friendship Forged, Missing Calls_

* * *

_I've made many mistakes throughout my life, too many that I couldn't even count them anymore. I was always so careless about those around me that... That everything would always be my fault. In my mind, I knew that I was special. Someone who could change the world for at least a moment... I was granted that wish when I was still a young, clueless child._

_If I could take all of it back, I would do so without hesitation... Sevi... I wish I could have told you how much you meant to me... But 'He' knows what I did... He always tried to brush it off as a careless mistake I did, but there was no going back to what I did... My mistakes cost Sevi her life..._

_Now they were here in Nibel... That thing... It wants me to return what I stole from them. But I won't give it back. Not until everyone I loved returns to me as well... I'll find a way to undo the effects of the decay... I just need more time..._

* * *

"Hey, Lin... Your spacing out again." Izi said calmly as he stared into his younger sister's eyes. Lin smiled at him and told him that she was alright. For now, her attention was all on the new Spirits and Owls who were resting in their homes. Flora, Qui, and Akari. Three Spirits she knew all too well. They all wanted to change Nibel into something much better for everyone, but they were still clueless about where to start.

Lin switched her gaze to the Ori and Ku as they sat by the bed that their brother Aru was in. If only she could truly fix his injury, but memory is a fickle thing that could easily break. She couldn't risk endangering the precious life of Aru, but when he was still awake she could really tell that he was innocent. Unlike her...

Lin and Izi sat next to each other on handcrafted wooden chairs that Izi made, as her brother tried his best to try and comfort Lin. He knows exactly what she was going through after seeing that Howler. Memories of her life back then flashed through her eyes. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't affected. They were in this together, from birth until death...

Ku approached them with an innocent but concerned look. Ku always looked shy ever since Lin laid her eyes on her, though she could tell that she often tried to be as brave as her brother Ori.

"Lin?..." She asked as she crept closer. Ku liked the Moki, they were friendly to her. But like her brother Ori, she never spoke to anyone else other than her siblings or occasionally the Gumon's. "Will Aru be okay?"

That was a question Lin has been contemplating for a while now, ever since Akari and Ori defeated the Howler, her attention was already on Aru. It was going to take a miracle to get his memories back without causing some kind of permanent damage. Then again she still thought that letting him hit his head on something hard would do it, but her brother kept insisting that they shouldn't do that.

"Don't worry. Your brother is perfectly fine, his head should not be that damaged anyways since he fell on something soft." Lin said. Well, he hit something soft during the landing part anyway. She thought to herself but kept that detail hidden from the little owl. "Once we talk to our friends who live near the Ginso Tree, we'll figure out a way to get his memories back. Who knows, maybe he still remembers you, Ku."

Lin said in reassurance for the small Owl. She chirped as the weight in her heart finally disappeared, their brother wasn't in any kind of danger.

"Yo! Ori! Get over here. Flora wants to talk to you!" They all heard the energetic Qui shout from the balcony. Ori stood up and went his way to the balcony where Flora, Qui, and Akari were looking over to the rising sun.

"I really hope Ori knows how dangerous the darkness is..." Lin said under her breath, but Izi heard what she said. Turning his head away as he knew exactly what she was talking about...

...

...

Ori stepped out on the balcony as Flora and Qui sat on the chairs Lin and Izi left for them. Flora's right arm was all bandaged up and wasn't exposing any sort of light anymore. She must have been seriously injured after Ori saw the Howler throw her across the forest. Qui leaned forward trying to reach out to the warm sunlight as if she was trying to keep it for herself. Ori made a mental note that Qui often acted like a kid, but he knew that she was definitely older than him.

"I gotta hand it to you, Ori. If you never distracted the Howler, I wouldn't even be here right now," Flora said as she smiled at Ori, but her expression quickly changed as she looked at him with suspicion. "Did Akari do anything to you last night?"

That question came so suddenly that made Ori recoil slightly. It was true that he felt like Akari would have killed him right there if Qui never called out to him, but other than that he never did anything to him... Then again, he did glare shards into him on their way back from the forest.

Qui turned her head over to them as she giggled at Flora's question. Of course, Akari would be the first thing that crossed her mind. It was Akari after all, who knows what would have happened if I never arrived. She thought as she closed her eyes and basked in the radiant sunlight. The sun makes me feel like I never even left...

"N-No, No. Akari didn't do anything to me" Ori said a bit nervously as his eyes darted from the left and to the right. Akari was nowhere to be seen and that made him slightly relieved, though he could swear that he was there a moment ago... Ori made a mental note that Akari was not someone he should ever mess around with.

Flora giggled happily at his answer. "Yeah, sure." She said with a hint of playfulness. "Don't worry. Akari is always like that to everyone. You should have seen Lin and Izi's faces when they met him for the first time." Akari was so distrustful of everyone that Flora knew exactly what would happen if he ever met Ori, and she was right. She just assumed it from the look on his face.

"What's that?" Qui mentioned as she held a hand over her eyes to block the sun from obscuring her sight. Ori and Flora turned around too, trying to see what she was staring at. A figure came into view, though it was too bright to see who or what it was. Then as it came closer, Ori widened his eyes because he knew exactly who that was.

White feathers with obsidian black wings. It was Ruru! My sister... But what was she doing all the way out here? She said she was going to wait back at the nest for Kuro to come back? Ori thought as they all stood back and let the tired owlet land on the fence. She was breathless as her emerald green eyes stared at each of them until she noticed Ori there.

"Mom... Didn't come back... He's... He's... Coming..." Ruru said before her eyes felt too heavy to keep them open any longer as she tilted forward. Ori caught her as he tried to wake her up again, but it was no use. Quickly. Qui and Flora followed Ori back inside the tree as they placed the unconscious Owl on another bed near Aru.

Lin and Izi were talking to Ku as they were surprised by all the commotion. But as they looked closer to their new guest, they were a bit bewildered by what they saw. Tainted black stains were scattered across her feathers, and most of it was even visible from her obsidian colored wings.

What could have done this... Ori thought to himself. It didn't look like Ruru was hurt or anything, but she was incredibly tired as she collapsed earlier. There were also no signs of injuries, just black stains that were littered across her body.

Lin had a slight suspicion on what could have caused this... If the Howlers came to Nibel... Then 'He' must be here as well... She turned to look at Izi who also had the same look in his eyes. The forest was in danger... If 'He' came to Nibel... Then the darkness that swallowed their home might not be too far behind...

* * *

_  
"I don't trust him... He may look as if he's one of us, but he's an outsider..."_

_"True... But he did save us from those Howlers right?"_

_"Yeah... But those Owls... I... I think we need to speak to the Guardians about this... It just doesn't seem right..."_

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**Mystery... Hmm...**

**I'm trying out a new style of writing, I don't even think its any different from the last two but eh hahaha.**

**Explaining is such a hard thing to do, I'd rather describe their feelings and develop their friendships, but that's coming in the next part.**

**It's still such a long way before my favorite character appears (An OC)... But I can't just skip over all these important details hahaha.**

**Thanks in advance to anyone reading this, love ya.**


	5. Rising Shadows

_Chapter 1.4 - Rising Shadows_

* * *

_You know... When we first took this job of investigating the Glades. I thought it would be easy. Just a little spooky thing that's running in the night. But when we finally saw that... Thing... I felt like something was wrong. Like something bad... And it's in the forest right now..._ Flora thought to herself as she gazed upon the clear and open skies. The sounds of the river running beside her and the sweet scent of the forest air, yet something still unsettled her. Grasping her arm softly, the bandages that Izi wrapped it in was not effective in healing, though he said that it was mostly used for covering up the injuries. She said it was fine, that her arm was not really badly hurt. At least that's what she thought, but as they continued walking down the riverside, it started to burn up as they got closer to their destination.

She turned her gaze towards Qui. She was hopping from one rock to another in the middle of the running stream, unaware of the dangers that might lie if she were to slip and fall. But it was Qui. No matter what Flora would say, she would always do it anyway. She loved her like a little sister, even though Flora found her during the winter, cold and helpless. But when she took her into her home in the Swallow's Nest, she knew for a fact that Qui was not as helpless as she once thought. She was very reckless though, often getting them in trouble with everyone and everything.

Then her eyes looked over to the sides where Ori and Akari were walking down the path underneath the shades. Not only were Akari and Ori very similar in appearance, but their personalities don't seem to be too different either. She knows Ori was very concerned about the well being of his siblings, and would even risk his life to save someone he doesn't know. While Akari is always concerned for Flora and Qui's safety, but he would never risk his life for just anyone. In a way, they both have different types of kindness. A soft giggle escaped from Flora's throat as she watched Ori slightly recoil whenever Akari looks at him, whatever he did. It must have scared him so much...

Flora looked back up to the skies as she began to wonder what exactly was this feeling... When Ori's sister came to the Glades, tired and without any kind of bruises. But she was covered with dark marks that seemed to pulse as if they were alive... One has to wonder what kind of creature could have caused something like that. The closest thing that resembled the dark marks that surrounded the little Owl was the same patterns as the ones on the Howlers from last night... She's been a guardian to this forest ever since the Great Storm... But this was the first time she has ever seen anything like this...

_Just what is happening..._

...

...

...

 _I really don't like this... Ruru said that Kuro never came home last night... And what was she talking about...? Who was 'He'?_ Ori thought to himself as he looked down on the stone path and into the river where Flora and Qui smiled as they enjoyed the peace and quietness. He couldn't shake the thought of his siblings getting hurt. First, it was Aru, now it was Ruru. Both times he was never there to protect them, he felt like he was always so close to them, yet so far to actually do anything to help them... Akari was by his side the entire trip, how long has it been since they left the Glades? Minutes? Hours? They left the Glades when the sun was still on the horizon. But now it was about to set. The trip nearly lasted for an entire day, but they were near the Hollow's Grove at least. The river was about to end soon as the way forward was surrounded by dark trees, only the soft blue light lit the path ahead.

"Ori... Do you have time to talk?" Ori heard a voice as he turned his gaze to Akari. He was still walking as usual, though his eyes seemed to falter with uneasiness.

"Yeah..." He wasn't sure what Akari wanted to talk about. Ori was a bit scared of Akari from the moment they first met. Up to this point. He was always so quiet and never spoke a word unless someone spoke to him. Though he did remember Flora saying something about Akari, that they were his family... His only family... So when the Howlers threatened to kill them all, he was there to save all of them, but he never got to save Flora... Instead, Ori was the one who saved her. Qui added that Akari felt like he was useless whenever he couldn't protect them, it was a sad habit of his. But they couldn't really do anything about it. They didn't know his past, where he grew up, where he came from... He was just lonely...

"I... I'm sorry..." Akari spoke as his gaze kept drifting away from Ori and into the golden skies. "I didn't mean to threaten you last night... I completely overlooked the fact that you weren't an enemy... You saved Flora's life and that's something I am eternally grateful for..." He said as he turned his gaze to Ori as they continued to walk. The sounds of the river were slowly disappearing as they entered the dark forest. The only light they had was a soft blue light emanating from deep within the forest, and their own light. Ori understood Akari. He only wanted to protect his family, and when he couldn't. He wanted to take his incompetence on Ori. He wasn't the same as him, though their actions could be very similar... _If only I was there to protect my own family..._ Ori thought as he gave a sad smile to Akari, who replied with his own. They both felt anxious around each other as they kept their eyes away from one another, though the sense of fear he once had for Akari disappeared as the wind brushed past them, seemingly racing towards the light ahead.

Out of nowhere, a bright light appeared from the skies as it brushed past an unlit lantern and landed violently on the ground near them. Exploding in a small burst of light that made Ori jump back in surprise. A Spirit rushed out from the trees as she looked both happy, surprised, and worried about what happened.

"Qui! Flora! Akari! And... Other Akari!" She exclaimed loudly as she beamed a big smile at Qui particularly. She was as small as Qui with small ears and a short tail. Ori looked at the small Spirit with a tilt of his head as another Spirit came out, taller than the other one, and only a slight difference in height between Akari and Ori.

"Sol! Eki! What are you guys doing here hahaha!" Qui said as she chased after Sol, both of them were very quick as if they were just a blur of light around them. They didn't stray too far but enough to keep them out of sight for most of the time.

"Hello... Is it just me or are there two Akari's now?" Eki was confused about what he was seeing, rubbing his eyes thinking he was spending too much time in the darkness.

"This is Ori. We're here to visit the Spirit Tree." Flora introduced Ori as he waved a nervous hand and a shy smile. Ori was not used to meeting new Spirits. He spent most of his life high up in the mountains and rarely venture too far into the forest where Spirits are often found. The only creatures he was able to socialize with easily were the creatures who live in the dark, like the Gumon and Alui, who was a spider.

Eki nodded as he smiled at Ori. "My name is Eki, and the one who nearly blew you all up was Sol." He said as the faint sounds of laughter coming from deeper into the forest were either getting close or getting fainter by the minute. "I think we should keep going. We're here to visit the Spirit Tree too." Eki said with a smile as they continued on their way. Although the forest was dark and the only light they could see was the faint blue light of the Spirit Tree, Ori can't help but wonder what exactly he was going to find there, his curiosity wandered for a bit. But then he remembered the reason why they even came here in the first place...

Ruru...

...

...

...

"I... This... This shouldn't be here..." Izi mumbled to himself so only Lin who was beside him could hear. The dark marks that littered the small Owlet's pristine white feathers were pulsing with strange energy as if it was alive... Resonating with its host... But it didn't look like a parasite, nor did it look like a shadow. The way it brightened up when the Spirits came closer to her as if it was reacting with fear. Izi clearly remembered what this thing was... And who made it... But to think that 'He' came to Nibel... If they didn't do anything, the forest would succumb to its rule as it did with their home...

"What's wrong with her?" Ori breathed out as he was finding it hard to breathe. _I... I can't... I don't even know if Aru is going to be alright but now... Now Ruru?_ Ori thought to himself as he looked at his sleeping sister. It didn't seem like she was in any pain, but whenever he or any other spirit got close to her, she would squint as if she was in pain... But it didn't react that way when Lin and Izi approached.

"She's not in any pain... Believe me when I say this." Lin said as she knew exactly what and where these marks came from, but she couldn't tell them or else they would immediately try and get themselves killed. Especially Flora. Lin knew exactly how she would feel if she ever found out something like this exists.

Izi came up the stairs with an old tattered book as he looked at them with relieved eyes. "Lin! I think we may be able to find a cure for Ruru." He opened the book and revealed the picture of an old flower, pristine, white, and what seemed to be pulsing with a faint blue essence. "I know this flower exists. But we've never been able to find it back in our homeland because nothing ever grows there anymore."

Both Ori and Ku tilted their head at the picture of the flower. They've seen that flower before, it was so familiar but at the same time, they've never seen it before. That was when Qui spoke up with a curious voice. "That's a Spirit Flower." Flora's eyes widened at that realization. A Spirit Flower. There are only a few places where that flower grows. A flower that holds the essence of the Spirit Tree's Light, and the embodiment of a Spirit Guardian's Soul.

"They grow back in the Hollow's Grove." Ori looked at the picture of the Spirit Flower again, finally realizing where he saw that flower before... He saw those types of flowers when he was exploring the misty woods, someone was calling out to him back then... Upon realizing that he would have to venture to the Spirit Tree to get this flower. That would mean he would have to leave behind Ku... What if something happens while he was gone again? Ku almost immediately noticed that Ori was worried and went to cuddle with him, holding her head under his shoulders as if saying It's going to be alright...

That was when I agreed to join them on their trip to the Hollow's Grove... But I just can't help but feel... Something bad is going to happen...

...

...

...

They kept wandering through the seemingly endless dark forest. The light wasn't getting any fainter nor is it getting any stronger. But from the way Eki was looking around, he was unsure of it himself... _I think we might be lost..._ Ori thought to himself.

"Do you even know where you're going Eki?" Flora said with a little smirk on her face. In her mind, she still remembers how Eki was always getting lost in dark areas without Sol's light. But Qui already went ahead to the Hollow's Grove, who knows they might be causing trouble there as we speak.

"I... I have no idea..." Eki said defeated. He honestly hoped he would remember his way back to the Spirit Tree by now, that was why he volunteered to be in the lead instead of Flora. While amid the darkness, Ori looked to Akari who looked back with an amused face.

"Eki, Sol, and Flora used to be close friends back then," Akari said as they both started to walk slower, letting Flora and Eki go first. The faint blue light seemed to get stronger as they went further into the forest now that Flora was in the lead. "Before me and Qui arrived in Nibel. She often visits a place called the Black Root Burrows. I personally haven't visited that place yet, but the way Flora described it to me was... Beautiful in a way... You should try visiting it sometimes. I know I won't."

Ori shifted his gaze to Flora and Eki as they finally made it out of the woods. After spending so long in the darkness, the intensity of the Grove's light slightly blinded them for a moment until their eyes finally adjusted to the light. "Wow..." Ori was amazed at the sight. He could only ever see the Spirit Tree from their nest, from a distance, the tree itself looked absolutely beautiful as its light lit up even the darkest corners of the forest. Like a guardian, someone who protects the forest and watches over everything... This was the first time he ever saw the Spirit Tree up close before. The light that was surrounding the meadows and the Grove itself felt like he was being embraced by someone who loves him... It reminded him too much of his mother Kuro as the light enveloped him like the rest of the spirits.

Eki waved goodbye to everyone as he went down into the meadows. He mentioned before that he was there to meet with someone named Atsu. Meanwhile, Flora looked ahead to see if she could spot Qui or Sol anywhere. _Could they still be inside the-_

Her thoughts were broken when an explosion blew up near the Spirit Tree, it wasn't big to cause actual damage to the environment. It was just a burst of light, and when she squinted her eyes to see what caused it. She saw two small spirits playing with a ball of light, Qui's spiral colored tail was an obvious gesture that it was actually her. Flora looked at the sight as she shook her head slowly with a soft smile "Yep... That's them alright." Flora thought out loud as she looked at those two as the other Spirits started to move away from them. She loved Qui and Sol, but sometimes it's as if trouble always chases after them.

The spirits in the meadow were all white Spirits that roamed around playing and some were even sleeping, basking the light from both the setting sun and the Spirit Tree itself. Some Spirits were watching over everyone as their keen eyes looked towards the skies and down to the earth. Then the largest tree in the center of the Grove was the Spirit Tree, its leaves stretched over the entire Grove, blocking most of the skies, but enough to let the light inside. The trees around the Spirit Tree was not too tall, but the leaves covered the entire forest roof. So when they were lost was actually difficult to know exactly where the Light was coming from.

"A pretty sight huh?" Flora whispered to Ori as she giggled softly at his reaction. He was still in awe at the beauty of the light. Kuro has always mentioned her love for the light, but neither her nor the rest of his family could ever get close to the Spirit Tree like he was right now... If only they could see what he is seeing right now. Ku would be astonished. Aru would be excited. Ruru would be impressed... And their mother... _I hope she's alright..._ Ori thought to himself as he noticed that both Flora and Akari finally jumped off and went straight into the meadows.

He followed after them as he jumped down from the ledge, the fall wasn't too far down but the soft grass under him felt, unlike anything he's felt outside of the Grove like each tuft has its own unique flare. But before he could get his balance settled, a voice called out to him as Flora and Akari turned to see who was calling Ori. Which was odd because Ori has never met any other Spirit from the Hollow's Grove before...

"Yo! Ori!" A Spirit came running into their direction, a face that Flora and Akari knew all too well. "Hello to you too Akari, Flora." He said grinning widely. Ori tilted his head as he finally got his bearings and stood back up. He was slightly taller than the other spirit, though his face and his attitude were very familiar to him... He just can't put where exactly did he see him...

"Uhh..." Ori was still clueless, Flora was just hiding a sly smile behind Akari as they both left leaving him by himself. Screaming in his head. Don't leave me!

It's like they knew exactly that Ori wasn't social at all. So he looked the other Spirit with a nervous smile. He just tilted his head with a disapproving smile. "Come on Ori, you can't tell me you forgot me already?"

Now that was just pushing it. He really didn't know who this Spirit was or what he wanted. Eventually, the Spirit gave an exasperated sigh. "Ano. My name is Ano. You met me in the Misty Woods remember?" He said with a smile. Completely forgiving Ori for his forgetfulness, then again everyone forgets people too especially if they haven't seen each other for many seasons now.

Ori's eyes lit up as he finally remembered him. He was patrolling the Misty Woods back then when the leaves were started to dry up and turn brown, that was when he saw Ano patrolling the edge of the Misty Woods, waiting for a friend. They spoke and he even slightly insulted Ori for being raised by Owls, but at the same time, he immediately apologized as he finally figured out that he wasn't kidding. But still, Ano respected Ori. He was living in the darkness, and the darkness was a scary and dangerous place...

"Ah! So you do remember hahaha!" Ano said as he gained back his signature grin. He was known as a strong and courageous spirit, often delving into dangerous areas or taking on dangerous missions. But no matter how stubborn he was, nobody could deny his abilities when in a fight. That was until he fought Akari. That was when his ego shattered into a million pieces, but he vowed that one day he will be able to defeat Akari! He made that promise nearly Five Seasons ago...

"So what are you doing here?" Ano grabbed Ori's hand as they went to go find Akari and Flora, who was not too far but far enough that Ori felt like he was being dragged against his will. "Actually don't answer that. Since you're here with Akari I wanna ask him instead."

Flora and Akari watched on in amusement as Ori was being dragged off by Ano. Akari has a few encounters with him that he could somewhat find memorable, but he knew exactly how strong he was. He was not to be underestimated even with his small size. Although, he is known to overestimate his odds of winning that he willingly throws himself into the action, unaware of the consequences he might unleash.

They finally caught up with Akari and Flora at the base of the Spirit Tree. Flora made a soft giggle as she saw Ori's ruffled up fur and his unfocused eyes. Ano really did a number on him. "Akari! Did you really go into the Forlorn Ruins?" This took Akari by surprise. The Forlorn Ruins? What was Ano talking about? But then again, he noticed that it must be related to Ori.

Ano stomped his hooved feet into the ground as he kneeled into the ground afterwards, looking depressed. Then immediately he sprung back up looking energized again as he pointed to Akari as if challenging him. "Fine! You win this time but I'll find something else that you won't be good at!" Akari tilted his head as his ears flopped uninterested. What was Ano talking about?

"Uhh, excuse me but. What do you mean exactly?" Flora asked seemingly very confused as well. Ano, let go of Ori as he finally steadied himself enough to stay away from him. Ano held a hand over his chest as he explained the rivalry between Akari and Ano. "Well. If you must know. Akari and I made a bet one day that the first one to climb to the top of the Forlorn Ruins aka the Valley of the Wind. One of the most dangerous areas in Nibel! Wins our bet!" He said proudly then quickly realizes immediately after that he just lost that bet since Akari found Ori, and Ano knew exactly where Ori lives... Ori lives at the top of the mountain in the Forlorn Ruins...

He immediately collapsed back to his knees upon his realization. Looking even more depressed than ever.

Akari sighed. He didn't even remember about that stupid bet Ano made, but if it would keep him from acting this depressed he might as well say it.

"Look. I never climbed up to the Forlorn Ruins yet. Ori is actually the one who saved Flora from one of the three Howlers we fought." Akari explained and Ano immediately went wide-eyed at him, then to Ori. Ori has never felt this uncomfortable in his entire life until now, maybe socializing wasn't a good idea after all...

"You fought a Howler? And you saved Flora? Hah! Wow, I really thought you weren't brave enough to do something like that Ori!" Ano said then quickly beamed a smile at Ori. "You know... There were reports of Howlers attacking a near a village near the Ginso Tree. But every time I went to visit that town, they all kept saying that the Howlers were all defeated, it's either that or they vanished without a trace. But by the way, everyone was talking about the Howlers. I just wanna fight one so badly! But to think that you were able to defeat them? You might even be close to becoming my rival. After Akari of course."

No way. Ori wanted no part in Ano's rivalry system. But it was too late. Ano's determination was clear and seemingly permanent. There was no way he could escape his rivalry with him now...

"Don't worry. Just ignore his challenges. It usually works for me" Akari whispered to Ori's ear outside of Ano's own hearing. "Alright. Let's get you that Spirit Flower-"

The ground trembled horribly as everything shook. It was as if the world was breaking itself apart. Then right after, a looming figure soared up into the sky. Feathers of darkened ashes and mysterious ashy mist surrounding it. Its piercing violet eyes stared each Spirit down as if it was specifically choosing which one it should kill. But instead, it quickly flew up to the top of the Spirit Tree. Staring maliciously at the Orb of Light which was the Eyes of The Spirit Tree, it violently reached out its talons into it as it ripped it apart from its place. Every Spirit was watching as the Light of the Spirit Tree began to fade away, for, without the Eyes of the Spirit Tree, it couldn't draw power from anything anymore.

The Spirits whispered in worry, some were afraid of what was going to happen, and some held their weapons out, ready to fight it once the creature came close. The creature was shrouded in a veil of darkness, they couldn't see what kind of monster was hidden underneath...

Flora herself looked especially devastated by the sight... Her heart, felt like it was being pricked by a hundred needles as her focus kept drifting back and forth, to the tree and back to the creature that ripped the light out of the Tree.

"The Spirit Tree... No... It's Dying!" She shouted in disbelief, the figure stared at each of the Spirits with the Eyes of the Spirit Tree lodged within its talons. Ori knew exactly what that thing was... But what terrified him the most was that its similarity to someone he loved... Under its piercing gaze, he somehow felt like he knew who that thing was... The shadows did nothing to hide those piercing eyes from him... All he could do was breathe out one last word as he gazed at the creature... Fear and confusion clouding his mind...

"Mom...?"

* * *

_"No! Get away from us!"_

_"Run! Run! They're catching up to us!"_

_"We need to warn the Guardians! It's coming! They're Coming! Aghh-"_

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**You know, this chapter is just the start. There's a lot more to come, and a lot more improvements coming too. Hopefully, I'm doing a good job at describing the feelings this time hahaha. Anyways, thanks to all the people who supported me this far! You guys are the best! hahaha.**

**On a side note. As is literally my favorite word and I just can't escape it hahahahaha.**


	6. Shadows of the Night

_Chapter 1.5 - Shadows of the Night_

* * *

_Nox..._

_The Spirit of The Black Mists..._

_I never thought I'd ever hear that name again..._

_Ruru kept mentioning that name in her sleep..._

_If he really was here in Nibel..._

_..._

_I have to do something._

_I can't let another forest die..._

_But I have to get rid of this curse from her first._

_I have to find Nightingale._

* * *

Lin let out an exhausted breath as she stretched her arms out wide. After everything that happened last night, she was just happy to be back out in the sunlight again.

She held her hands behind her head as she looked up to the roofed forest of the Glades. _To think... First, it was the Howlers... Now Ori's sister is infected with that disease... If I don't find a way to get rid of it... She might end up like..._ Lin thought before biting her lip as a faint memory came up in her mind. Shaking her head to get the thought out of her mind, she looked back to the road in front of her.

It wasn't really much of a road, more like signs pointing to which way she was supposed to go. Every so often Lin could see a tree with a mark engraved on it, a symbol of squiggly lines which usually means flowing water. She would like to get to the village as fast as possible then get back to the Glades, but there was a slight problem...

Behind her who was trailing a bit far behind was Ku. A violet owlet who was jumping and trying her best to catch the butterflies that were peacefully minding their own business. The breeze that swept through the forest caused many of the insects to scatter along with the leaves as they flowed through the air. Ku however thought it was a good idea to catch the group of butterflies, but was failing at even catching a single one.

Lin's thoughts were preoccupied with new thoughts as she looked at the little owl. _Was it a mistake to bring her along? What if she gets hurt during the trip?_

When she looked into her eyes, all she could see was the same eyes of an innocent friend of hers. It pained her to even look at Ku for too long. Her wing however was a strange one... She has never seen an owlet with damaged feathers before, whether it was a birth defect or an accident that happened in the early stages of her life. She didn't want to push her luck by asking her about something that might be very sensitive to her. After all, an Owl that couldn't fly was almost sure to die without any protection... Their mother was a good Owl.

She was certain that this was their first time seeing another member of their family getting hurt. When Lin saw Ori's ears droop and his wavering eyes. It almost reminded her of something she used to do back then. _I imagine he was thinking that it was his duty to protect his family after all... Then when Ruru arrived with those marks around her body, fatigued, and nearly fell over the balcony. That only added more injury to his heart..._ Lin thought as she was lost in her mind, the world around her started to disappear as she delved deeper into her thoughts.

 _I truly want to help. I want to cure Ruru, and I want to restore Aru's memories... It's the least I could do for Ori after he saved us from that Howler..._ Lin thought to herself as she remembered the night clearly. She ran away, terrified. Thinking the Howler might notice her and begin chasing after her. But when she looked back, she saw Ori run into the forest with the Howler trailing behind him.

_~He's too kind... Then again, that was his gift after all...~_

She snapped back to reality as she heard a terrified shriek from behind her. Looking back quickly, her tension disappeared when she saw Ku being swarmed by the same butterflies that she was trying to eat. Apparently, they got tired of the little owl and decided to smother her with colorful wings.

Lin suppressed a giggle at the sight. The insects were doing no harm to her whatsoever, but it was still amusing to see Ku trying to run away from the same butterflies she was trying to eat. Sighing with a shake of her head. Lin shooed away the swarm of butterflies, dispersing all of them quickly.

Ku's feathers were all puffed up from that terrifying experience. She didn't expect the butterflies to actually go ahead and attack her, though they didn't really harm her anyways. Lin patted her head to smoothen out all the ruffled feathers as the little owl slightly purred from the touch. She liked Lin, she felt safe around her.

_~If only she knew...~_

They eventually reached the river where a small boat was right next to the river, it wasn't on the water yet, they still had to push it off. Ku wasn't sure about this. She has never ridden a boat before, but Lin reassured her that everything was going to be alright. The boat was big enough for the both of them and could easily carry them all the way to the Thornfelt Swamp just before sundown.

Although she felt terrified and many thoughts rushed through her head of what was going to happen if she did fall into the river. It all eased away as Lin held her hand out to her, seemingly all her doubts and fears just disappeared as she stepped into the boat with her.

Lin untied the boat as she pushed it off the land and into the stream. Looking forward with the sun above and the Ginso Tree in the distance, they were finally going to venture forward and find the cure for Ku's family.

"Alright! Next stop. Silex."

* * *

_He is reckless... Taking on an entire forest by himself? Has he forgotten the strength that the Light holds?... Yes... After spending so long in glory, one tends to forget that they are not invincible..._

_Let's see who crumbles first... The Light... Or The Unending Shadows..._

* * *

"Ku! Don't go too far now!" Lin shouted as the little owl freely explored the empty docks. The trip took longer than Lin expected. The sun was nearly about to disappear into the horizon as she looked up to the golden skies. The stars were faint but they were slowly appearing as the skies were turning darker by the second.

It's fine... There should be an Inn nearby. No need to stay out in the dark... Lin reassured herself as she followed after Ku who was looking out into the docks and staring up into the skies. The Ginso Tree looked incredibly tall and divine from her view. It was as if the heavens were an endless waterfall of purified water.

"Come on. Let's get that medicine for your brother. Then we can go back and meet up with Ori for Ruru's medicine." Lin stated with a smile. Though she seemed happy, she felt like something was off. The docks were not usually this empty. _Maybe they're having another event inside the city?_ She thought as she went ahead with Ku trailing behind her. The path to the village was laid out in cobblestone as it stretched across the entire area, making it the most optimal path to getting from one point to another.

They passed through a looming archway of stone and moss with the words 'Silex' engraved on it. There were multiple archways like this around the village. It was a trading outpost after all. Many creatures ranging from Amphibians, Avians, and even Spirits in most cases wandered the town to look for anything that might catch their eye, a trinket, a gadget, or treasure. But this was the first time Lin has ever seen the streets empty, devoid of chatter and in most cases, colorful individuals.

Ku felt excited as she was finally exploring outside of the Glades. She was never allowed to reach this far into the forest because she couldn't fly like the rest of her siblings. She made small little hops on the stone pavement but tried to suppress her urges to explore. She was there for a reason, and that was to help Aru and Ruru.

She couldn't just leave Ori to do everything by himself. He was already going into unfamiliar places just to get the Spirit Flower for Ruru. She didn't want to be a burden to them, she wanted to help. Ku was always the youngest of the family, but this time. They were relying on her to get things done. She couldn't mess this up now.

Meanwhile, Lin looked perplexed at the lack of lights in the city. There were no lit torches, nor were there any signs of light in the buildings. Its as if the city itself was abandoned.

Her eyes scanned through the buildings and even the trees themselves. Not a single creature was in sight, not even a lit candle inside one of the tree platforms. "What's going on..." Lin mouthed in silence as if last night was terrifying enough. She felt like someone was watching her from afar. Hateful eyes locking onto her from a view that she cannot see.

"Ku... I think... I think we need to-" The Moki whispered as she stepped back hoping to touch the small owl's head at least. But there was nothing. She quickly turned around as she felt her heart stop for a few moments.

Ku was gone. There was nothing but the empty cobblestone street as the dark shadows embraced the village, leaving the small Moki in the empty, dark path in the middle of a ghost town...

She quickly turned to the sky as the forest and the village was shrouded in darkness. She felt her breathing turn shallow as she darted her eyes everywhere. No light. Nothing but the empty darkness. She held her hands over her ears with eyes tightly shut, her mind was being clouded by the memories of the past. _No... I have to... I have to stay calm..._ Lin thought to herself as she held her hand over her steadily increasing heart.

Shaking her head to snap herself out of her own delusions, she looked forward. Her eyes were already adjusting to the darkness. Moki's were nocturnal creatures, so it was natural for her to see in the dark. But Lin completely hated it, she hated being in the darkness. It reminded her too much of a memory she tried so hard to forget.

But she couldn't go back either. She has to move forward if she ever wants to find her way out of the darkness. _I have to find Ku... And Nightingale... I can't lose myself now..._ Lin mouthed but not a single word escaped her throat as she held both of her arms, her entire body was shivering. Her fears of the past were slowly overcoming her as she forced herself to continue walking, she needed to find light soon...

Unknown to her. Something was feasting on those dark emotions of hers. Like a feast for the undying. Glaring at her from a distance, inside the dark forest.

_She will soon learn what the consequences are for taking what was mine... But first..._

* * *

_So cold... It's so dark... I won't... I won't go back to him!... Who is that?... Feathers?... No... Stay away from me... Get away!..._

_Please..._

* * *

"You aren't what I expected... Such a frail creature..." A voice whispered as Ku groggily opened her eyes. Her eyelids felt like they were made of stone, opening them slowly she could see nothing but the empty darkness. She weakly turned her head in both directions, there was nothing but the great beyond of the void. No walls, no floor, no skies. Just the empty abyss.

"You don't even know how to escape... Do you?..." The voice whispered again, this time he sounded amused. She could hear subtle laughing from the other side. Just where was she? She kept thinking in her head, but her mind wouldn't focus correctly, She felt cold. She couldn't see anything. But she knew there was someone talking to her.

"She's almost here... Perfect." The voice whispered again, but it sounded like he was unsure of himself. Almost like he was afraid.

"What is the meaning of this..." Another voice echoed throughout the black space. It sounded very familiar to Ku, yet so different as she tried her hardest to lift up her body, talons gripping tightly against the darkness as she rose up. The world around her started to melt away, the colors of the darkness began to drift away as if they were being carried away by the wind.

When the darkness disappeared from her sight, she was only left with glaring white eyes staring at her from above. A dark figure, enveloped in veils of shadows were the owners of those piercing white eyes.

Ku's eyes widened, yet she didn't feel a shred of fear, nor malice from its gaze. It felt too familiar as the white eyes softened its gaze upon her, like it was looking at something it was very fond of.

"If I find a single feather out of place..." The figure growled as the shadows besides it opened up to reveal a set of pitch-black wings. However, its gaze drifted to the figure in front of Ku. She didn't even realize that there was someone in front of her.

Although, she can't tell who or what it was. Shadows circled around the figure tirelessly like a whirlpool of darkness. Only his set of violet eyes stared back at Ku, then returned his attention back to the looming figure in front of them.

"Come now... I can't have her ruining the fun I'll be having with that thief..." The figure shrouded in shadows looked back at Ku again, this time, his eyes were laced with malicious intents as those violet eyes burned through her mind.

"Remember our deal Kuro..." _Kuro?_ The thought raced through Ku's head immediately as he said it. "The Spirit Tree must die... Along with that Spirit of Aven..." His voice held so much hate in them, she could feel like it was almost directed at her. She looked up to the white eyes as it returned its gaze towards the little owl. _It was... She's alright... Mom is okay!... But..._ Ku thought to herself but doubts started settling into her mind as she looked at Kuro more intently.

She was completely shrouded in shadows that were circling her endlessly, just like the figure in front of her. _What happened to Kuro while she was away? Did it have something to do with the shadow in front of her?_ Her thoughts echoed throughout her head. She tried to speak, only to find that her throat could not speak a single word out.

"I won't hurt your hatchling... At least, as long as you fulfill your end of the contract." The figure extended its hand out to Kuro as she stared at it, scanning it as if she was expecting him to pull a trick on her. But she had little to no option left. There were more options on the table, now that he has a hold of her young hatchling.

"Nox... I hope you burn in the Spirit's Light..." Kuro growled as the tip of her wing touched the small hand. The shadows seemed to combine with her own as the figure nearly disappeared, but not before looking back to Ku, who was looking at the sight with both concern and fear clouding her mind.

"Heh. Don't worry Ku." He said as he completely disappeared, fizzling away as his shadows combined with Kuro. Her eyes were closed as it slowly opened. Revealing the same set of bright violet eyes staring down at the little owl. "I'll be back shortly." Kuro said as her voice echoed with the same confidence as the figure had before.

Opening her massive wings, she took to the skies as she left the little Owlet alone in the dark forest.

"Mom?..." She said unconsciously as she looked to her mother's faint silhouette as her body blended in with the dark night sky...

Behind her, she could feel something was still watching her. Her eyes lit up with more fear as she saw what was stalking through the darkness behind the forest.

A set of wings on each side as its bright blue eyes pierced through the shadows enveloping around it. Ku could hear that it was growling, eyes set on her as they both stood there frozen.

* * *

**Authors Notes:**

**Oh my god I'm finally done with this. After several rewriting and removing scenes I'm finally slightly satisfied with this results. Learning is a hard thing hahaha, makes you look back on your old work and say. Hmmmm. I could do better hahahaha** **Going to renew this with a new route than this, maybe add some stuff to make it interesting, not gonna lie even I think its boring and that's what caused this hiatus hahaha.**


End file.
